Rating: 
Summary: The Counterpart to "Nicholas and Alexandra"
Review: How can a bouncy upbeat musical about downtrodden Jews in Imperial Russia compare to a solemn novel-based film about the waning days of the Romanovs? "Quite easily" is my answer. Both movies were partly filmed in Yugoslavia, relased in December, 1971, feature actor Vernon Dobtcheff in small but crucial parts( the official who orders the pogrom on the shtetl where the main characters live in this film, and Dr. Stanislas Lazovert who was in on the plot to kill Rasputin in N&A), we can see the life of the ill-fated Czar of Russia in one film, and the lives of the people who eventually rose up and overthrew the Czar in the other. The cast led by the warm and earthy Chaim Topol drives home the point that the people whom in many cases, the world eventually knew as Bolsheviks had daughters (and sons)that they loved and cherished every bit as dearly as the Czar loved his family, did not enjoy religious persecution, and were generally people who simply wanted good lives before push came to shove and revolution broke out. Having been raised with sisters, I can easily relate to the scenes of interaction between Tevye's daughters and I admire their independant spirits. Paul Michael Glasser is brilliant as a youthful idealist who wins the heart of the second daughter, Hodel, who is played by a friendly and outgoing Neva Small. Molly Picon's feisty, comical Yente is an absolute scene-stealer. The two youngest daughters were absoloute sweethearts. Rosalind Harris behaved as charismatically as anyone might expect an oldest child to behave as Tzeitel, who was willing to fight for her happiness despite her father's traditionalism. Because Leonard Frey's Motel hearkens unto the voice of his sweetheart, remembering that even a poor taylor is entitled to some happiness, he wins her hand in marriage. Ray Lovelock's Fyetkev is the Good Gentile who wins the affection of beautiful, red-haired Chava, played by a gentle but deterimined Michelle Marsh. I didn't see a cast member I didn't like in this movie,except perhaps for Vernon Dobtcheff, and Norman Jewison received many appropriate "Mazel Tovs" from critics the world over for the direction of this film. It had depth and scope in addition to beautiful music. In an interesting footnote, Chaim Topol and Michael Jayston, the two leads in "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Nicholas and Alexandra" ended up working together in a film called "The Public Eye" with Mia Farrow a year later.
Rating:
Summary: Review of Fiddler on the Roof
Review: This is a wonderful motion picture. The music is supurb!! Topol was a wonderful pick for the part of Topol. His voice is wonderful. The story is great, too. I recommend it for every family. I don't mind watching it again and again with different members of my family, especially my grandchildren. (11).
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable
Review: Topol is good. This movie will rate highly with most families who love clean humour. It also shows the hassle parents go through in regard to mates for their children. This will never change. Jews, protestants, green or pink. Parents want the best. Kids want the very person parents disapprove off the most. Life goes on.....and we laugh about it all later on - with the Fiddler on the Roof. So marry a fish even if you are a bird and live somewhere on the horizon between the air and the sea and be happy because you are with the one you want to be with. The other actors in the movie are good, but Topol outshines them all.
Rating: 
Summary: A Shande!
Review: Despite its excellent acting and marvelous soundtrack, this movie is nothing more than a farce intended to make the non-Orthodox Jews of the late 1800/early 1900's (when the script was written) feel better about their choice. The rabbi is a bufoon, and the Jews of the town are louts. In Tevye's opening lines, he states that he doesn't know that reasons for anything he does, thereby ridiculing the Biblical laws the Jews live by. And that's another thing. Its all presented as "tradition." It is that, but more importantly, its law, and when Orthodox Jewish kings ruled in Israel it was upheld by the courts. I'm surpirsed he didn't give his okay for Chava to marry the Russian, and even then, the spin is that he's being unreasonable. Then there are all the things that are simply wrong, like the rabbi saying that there "technicaly isn't anything wrong" with men and woman dancing together. Off the top of my head, I can think of at least three laws it violates, and there are probably more. What's even worse is that most non-Jews relate to the Jewish world entirely in the context of this movie. Whenever something with Jews happens on TV, its always to one of the tunes from the movie. I've heard people say "Jews have no idea why they do what they do," an obvios quote. The truth is, life in pre-WWI Eastern Europe had only superficial similarities to that presented in this movie.
Rating:
Summary: A classic story to be enjoyed forever
Review: The story is a powerful one that includes all human emotions. It makes you laugh, enjoy and feel sorry for the plight of the Jews victimized by the pogroms. Music is superb. Isaac Stern's solo performance alone is worth the price. Simply fabulous!
Rating:
Summary: TO LIFE!
Review: To life! "Fiddler on the Roof" is an increadable musical that is not to be missed. It centers around Tevye, the poor but pleasant milkman ("We don't eat like kings, but we don't starve either,") in Anatevka, a pre-Revolutionary Russian town of hardworking, faithful Orthodox Jews. The community hears little of the outside world, so naturally he struggles with questions and problems as the world changes around him. The film is a great family show that everyone will enjoy, a classic of classics that will continue to endure audiences for many a time to come.The DVD is a great buy, too. The most noteable bonus feature is wonderful feature-length audio commentary from the director Norman Jewison and the star, Topol (Tevye.) They provide an intriuging and insightful comments and recall suprising memories about making the film. For incidince, did you know that Topol was only 35 when "Fiddler" was shot? Or that the whole film was shot with a piece of brownish-orange stocking taped to the lens of the camera? Or that to make the horse limp the filmmakers put a pebel in his shoe? All that trivia - plus lots more - is in the commentary. Also cool is the 8-page booklet with more trivia. And of course widescreen and scene selection are there, as standard with DVDs. Plus there's subtles. And all that's not to mention the original theatrical trailer. All in all, this is a great buy - a jammed-packed DVD and a modern filmmaking masterpiece. To life!
Rating:
Summary: If you can't see it live, this is the next best thing
Review: When they were casting for the Broadway lead in Fiddler on the Roof, the producer pictured Tevya as a gaunt nebish. Danny Kaye was offered the role and turned it down. Slightly less gaunt Danny Thomas was offered it next, He too turned it down. After a few more actors turned down the role, they worked their way up to hefty, robust looking Zero Mostel. This DVD features a man with a robust voice but with at least a normal, if not gaunt, physique. Topol's full, baritone voice both in speaking and singing is dinstinctive among the many who have played Tevya. I saw Fiddler live twice.. with Harry Goz and with Hershel Bernardi as Tevya. I enjoy the contrast with Topol as the long suffering Tevya trying to marry his daughters off and dealing with the winds of change in his simple life in the Eastern Eurpean shtetle. The changes include personal ones as his daughters display increasing independence and social shanges as increasing pograms disrupt his secure village life. I have enjoyed the movie as much as the live play and I always feel a little pang as I get a poignant taste of the land and life of my great granparents. The songs are poignant too, such as "Sunrise Sunset" (which many tearful dads dance to with their daughters at the daughters' weddings) and "Do You Love Me" in which a wife who always takes her husband for granted finally faces this question. I highly recommend this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely the best ever musical!
Review: Fiddler On The Roof is without a doubt the best ever musical! It has great actors, cool characters, unforgettable songs and fun plots. It's great how Tzeitel and Hodel convince Tevye to let them choose who they marry. And all of the songs show feelings, some are happy like "Miracle Of Miracles" or "Tradition" and some are sad like "Far From The Home I Love". Some of the characters are really funny like Yente, or very serious like Golde. And there are a lot of funny parts in the movie, like when the lesson of Laban cheating on Jacob was "Never trust your employer", or when Motel's 'new arrival' was a sewing machine, although he and Tzeitel did have a baby. And the dream the Tevye pretends to have is absolutely hilarious! But some parts are very sad, like when Hodel is forced to leave her home to see Perchick, or when the Jews are forced out of Anatevka. All of these are reasons why I liked this musical, and I think you'll like it too! I recommend this to anybody!
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful classic!
Review: I was two when "Fiddler" made its initial theatrical run, so needless to say I missed it. Recently, my father-in-law lent my wife and I his VHS copy. To be honest, I didn't want to see it. After all, it starred that guy from Flash Gordon! Well, at my wife's insistence, I watched the opening sequence (the song "Tradition") and I was hooked. Such life! Such humor! Later, as a gift, I bought my wife the DVD that we've played again and again. The transfer is wonderful; the sound is clear and deep. This DVD is a must for any collector of fine cinema, or musical theatre. Oh, and as for "that guy from Flash Gordon", Topol gives the definitive performance of Tevye. Watch this DVD and marvel how well it captures his command performance.
Rating:
Summary: All we need is love -- wealth, social standing are secondary
Review: The story of Tevje, the milkman of Anatevka, transforms nicely from stage to screen. Hollywood Magic throughout. Beautiful songs like "Tradition", "If I Were A Rich Man", "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" and "Do You Love Me?" will have you emersed in the love of this Jewish Orthodox family of pre-revolutionary Russia. Our "narrator" Tevje was blessed with a devoted wife Golda and 5 daughters, all of whom should be married to rich and/or important men in the village (according to their mother). When one after another fall in love with "poor, average Joe's", Golde can't understand it, but Tevje gives his blessing, seeing the love between the young people. -- This is one of Broadway's Best, losing none of its splendor in this wonderful film adaptation. Highly recommended!
|
